At a Glance
- CIA carried out a drone strike last week at a Venezuelan docking area used by drug cartels.
- First direct US operation on Venezuelan soil since September.
- Trump publicly acknowledged CIA involvement.
A CIA-led drone strike last week targeted a docking area believed to be used by Venezuelan drug cartels, marking the first direct US operation on Venezuelan soil since the administration began strikes in September. The attack, which has not been acknowledged by Venezuelan officials, escalated a months-long pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro. President Trump has openly confirmed the CIA’s role in the strike.
CIA-Led Drone Strike
The strike targeted a dock area where boats are loaded with drugs, according to information from two anonymous sources familiar with the operation. It is the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the US began strikes in September.
- First known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since September
- Targeted a dock area used for drug loading
- Not acknowledged by Venezuelan officials
Escalating US Pressure
The strike follows a buildup of US personnel in the Caribbean Sea starting in August, and has been followed by at least 30 US military strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. Trump has also ordered a quasi-blockade aimed at seizing sanctioned oil tankers coming in and out of Venezuela.
Political Reactions
Maduro has denied the charges, and the US Justice Department has doubled the reward for information leading to his arrest to $50 million. In an interview with John Catsimatidis on WABC radio, Trump said the U.S. had knocked out a “big facility where ships come from” and later added that the operation targeted a “dock area where they load the boats up with drugs.”
President Donald Trump stated:
> “The U.S. had knocked out some type of “big facility where ships come from.””
President Donald Trump added:
> “The operation targeted a ” dock area where they load the boats up with drugs.””
Col. Allie Weiskopf said:
> “Special Operations did not support this operation to include intel support.”
President Trump said in October:
> “I authorized for two reasons, really. No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America, and the other thing, the drugs, we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea.”
Key Takeaways
- CIA strike marks first direct US operation on Venezuelan soil since September.
- Trump’s public acknowledgment of CIA involvement signals a shift in covert strategy.
- Maduro’s denial and the doubled reward highlight ongoing legal and diplomatic tensions.
The CIA strike underscores the Trump administration’s willingness to use covert action against Venezuela, while the lack of official acknowledgment by Maduro’s government signals ongoing diplomatic tensions.
By Brianna Q. Lockwood for News Of Austin
